CAPACITOR

1. Definition

   Capacitors are electrical components that function to store electrical charges.

2. Formula

3. Important Figure

   Pieter Van Musschenbroek was a Dutch physicist who invented the Leyden jar, a device used for storing electrical charges. Musschenbroek was a professor of mathematics and physics at the University of Leyden in Holland. Musschenbroek was conducting an experiment in which he poured water into a glass jar and connected the jar by wire to a friction machine that produced static electricity. The device, which was later named the Leyden jar, is stated to be the prototype of capacitors.

4. Uses in Everyday Life

   Capacitors have been used to store electrical energy since the late 18th century. Benjamin Franklin was the first to coin the phrase "battery" for a series of capacitors in an energy store application. Individual capacitors generally do not hold a great deal of energy, providing only enough power for electronic devices to use during temporary power outages or when they need additional power. For example, large capacitors are included in car audio systems to provide extra power to amplifiers when needed.